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Minimal progress in improving quality of aid and development at a time when it's needed most

Despite some advances, progress towards meeting aid and development effectiveness targets is flat-lining, according to a report published by the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation.

“Donors had pledged to help developing countries take ownership of the aid they receive; however, the report shows they’re not taking this seriously. Half of aid meant to strengthen government institutions ends up bypassing the very institutions it's supposed to build.

“Furthermore, while a majority of countries in the report claimed to have established policies to protect civic space, Oxfam believes the reality is different. Since 2012, 136 laws restricting the establishment of civil society organizations have been passed around the world, shrinking the space for people to engage with their governments on issues affecting their lives.

“Representatives from developing and donor countries, as well as civil society, need to urgently discuss how to tackle these and other shortcomings highlighted in the report at the GPEDC meeting in Nairobi later this month. The world is facing unprecedented humanitarian and development challenges, like climate change and the refugee crisis; the lack of progress is unacceptable.”

Notes to editors:

The GPEDC will hold its second high-level meeting in Nairobi, Kenya later this month; Oxfam International’s executive director, Winnie Byanyima, and other Oxfam aid experts will attend the conference alongside other civil society representatives.

The GPEDC monitoring framework helps capture how well donors and their partners are reforming their own practices to achieve meaningful change through the “development effectiveness commitments” made in 2011.

The “development effectiveness commitments” are guided by four fundamental principles: developing country ownership; focus on results; transparency and mutual accountability; and inclusive partnerships.

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